Turning Tables
by Someofusarelookingatthestars
Summary: Determined, ambitious and passionate. Aoife Murphy feels ready for the challenges of her new role as the BAU's new Communications Liaison. However, she didn't anticipate the dangers that accompanied the job. How can you protect your humanity when you spend your life around those who show none? Through the darkness, she find light in her new teammates - one in particular.
1. Chapter 1: New Beginnings

**Chapter 1: New Beginnings**

" _Every noble work is at first impossible" –_ _ **Thomas Carlyle**_

Aoife Murphy tapped her black high heels anxiously on the floor of the elevator as it travelled upwards. Her hands twisted as she smoothed down her black dress, nervously entangling her fingers in its soft material as she brushed out the imaginary wrinkles. She pursed her lips together in an attempt to ensure her rosy lipstick was perfectly blended whilst readjusting her bag securely onto her shoulder.

Aoife took a deep calming breath as a soft ding announced that the elevator had arrived at its destination. She straightened herself up, holding her head up determinedly to face the doors. _Time to go._

She stepped forward confidently as the doors opened, her heels clicking as she entered the impressive hallway. She took one last breath to compose herself before continuing towards the imposing doors ahead. Reaching out her arm, she pushed open the glass door proudly adorned with the FBI seal.

 _This was it._

She was taken back by the sight that greeted her.

It was all a blur. People bustled past hurriedly as phones rang out noisily and employees chatted animatedly to one another. This was the FBI. This was the Behavioural Analysis Unit. Aoife never would have envisioned herself here – she was always favoured more of a desk job. _But, people can change. A chance for a new start_.

The flurry of people rushing past her pulled her from her musings. _Time to focus._ Her lips curved into a small smile as she surveyed the bullpen. A hum of noise filled the room as agents continued to diligently work, unfazed by the commotion surrounding them. Her bright green eyes narrowed as she focused her gaze on the office at the back of the room. Aoife nervously readjusted the strap on her shoulder and brushed her dark hair from her face, before she moved towards the Unit Chief's office.

* * *

Emily Prentiss rested her head in her hands as she finally surrendered to her exhaustion. She let out a deep sigh, rubbing her temples soothingly. _It had been a tough week._

She let herself fall back into the comfort of her black leather chair, her head lulling backwards as she relinquished her resolve to persevere through the piles of casework sat in front of her. It had all been a whirlwind since her appointment as Unit Chief.

 _Hotch never got enough credit._ Emily mused quietly to herself. The amount of paperwork and bureaucracy was overwhelming. At times, it even felt as if the pressure was crushing her. She loved her job and she was immensely proud to lead her incredible team. But, the responsibility that accompanied her new role was immense. _It was time to introduce a new face in the BAU._

Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door interrupted Emily from her thoughts. She sat forward in her seat. "Come in."

The door opened and a woman entered the room, carefully closing the door behind her. Emily stood up eagerly to greet her.

"Hi, I'm Aoife Murphy." Aoife greeted enthusiastically, outstretching her hand to shake Emily's. "It's great to meet you properly Agent Prentiss."

"It's great to have you here Agent Murphy." Emily grasped her hand firmly, flashing the woman a bright smile. "You have no idea how wonderful it is to have a new member joining our team. As you can probably tell, we really need your help." She joked, gesturing to the hectic scene outside her office.

"It definitely looks like you're all being kept busy." Aoife laughed softly, thinking about the bustling bullpen outside.

"Well, your résumé certainly showed you're more than capable at handling office chaos." Emily told her admiringly, gesturing for Aoife to sit down on a nearby chair as she perched on the end of her wooden desk.

"Your record at counterterrorism alone was impressive. Never mind your time at NYPD Media Relations. You're exactly the type of person we need in the BAU."

Aoife smiled gratefully at the compliment. "Thanks! It felt like time for a change and it doesn't get any bigger than the BAU. The work you guys do here is incredible. I'm just glad to be a part of it."

"As our Communication Liaison agent, you'll be the team's primary link with the media, local authorities and people pertaining to investigations." Emily explained. "We used to have a fulltime agent performing the role, however due to circumstances it ended up being shared between our former Unit Chief and our Technical Analyst. As you can tell-" she gestured to the busy scene outside, "we're run off our feet due to our heavy casework. The escape of thirteen serial killers earlier this year definitely didn't help us! We need you to take up the role."

Aoife smiled warmly at her. "I'm delighted to do it."

Emily let out a small laugh. "Trust me you won't be so eager once you see the mountains of files waiting for you! So, are you ready to meet the team?"

* * *

Luke Alvez sat quietly at his desk, his eyes squinting at the computer screen in front of him. His pending case reports sat in a neat pile to the right-hand side of his desk. _Who knew being a Supervisor Special Agent-in training with the BAU would require so much paperwork?_ He stifled a yawn with his hand as he leant back in his chair.

It had been difficult to adjust to life in the BAU. He was used to working on his own in the fugitive task force, so it had been difficult to adjust to the close-knit team. However, Luke was enjoying it. He'd never thought of himself as much of a thinker, he was more of a doer. One of the reasons he'd joined the army was because he loved the action and adrenaline that accompanied the role. But, his new job seemed like a good mix between exhilarating fieldwork and challenging himself with new opportunities. _The workload was insane though…_

Luke's dark eyes scanned the bustling room, observing the frantic agents who rushed back and forth. The Unit had really been feeling the pressure recently, with the continuing threat of Mr Scratch looming over the team and the absence of Hotch weighing heavily on all their minds.

As he slowly turned his head, his eyes fell upon Emily's office. _As Unit Chief she'd been feeling the strain more than anyone._ Luke definitely didn't envy Prentiss for her new role. He thought she'd been handling it expertly, whatever the FBI brass claimed. He squinted as he examined the two figures standing in the office with curiosity. _This must be the new agent._

Emily had informed them all last week during a team meeting that she'd taken the step of hiring a new team member to be their Communications Liaison. It would be an enormous relief to the team for someone to take the burden of bureaucratic planning and strategy off their shoulders. In the past, Garcia had split the responsibilities with Hotch, but everyone on the team knew it was gradually becoming an additional stress on their busy technical analyst. Garcia was also rarely available to be in the field with the team. This new agent would be able to travel with them to help them organise on the ground.

Luke reclined further back in his seat as he looked at the unfamiliar woman in Prentiss' office. She was petite in stature, yet her confident posture made her appear taller. Long dark hair framed her face, the waves cascading down her back. He quickly glanced away as he saw them move towards the door.

 _This should be interesting._

* * *

Aoife felt her stomach flutter nervously as Prentiss led her out of her office to introduce her to the team. She was well-aware of how tight-knit the BAU was and she didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with any team member. She also secretly felt a little intimidated - she knew how impressive every individual member of the team was, their reputations preceded themselves in the FBI.

"Ah! Aoife, this is David Rossi." Emily interrupted her thoughts, beckoning an older man over to them. "Rossi, this is Aoife Murphy. She's our new Communications Liaison." She warmly introduced them, gesturing to each of them in turn.

"Wow, we haven't had one of them for a long time! But, we could certainly use one. It's a pleasure to meet you Agent Murphy." Rossi leant forward and clasped her hand in his. "Welcome to the team."

"Thank you Agent Rossi. It really is an honour to be here." Aoife gave him a warm smile as they shook hands. "I still remember your training seminars on hostage negotiation back in the Academy."

"I hope that's not a painful memory for you." Rossi joked.

"Definitely not! I actually wrote one of my assignments based on your argument regarding demand theories. It came in useful in counterterrorism." Aoife grinned at the older agent. David Rossi was something of a legend in the FBI. It really was a honour to finally meet the esteemed agent.

Emily smiled at the two of them. "Here, come this way and I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."

* * *

"You guys don't understand, this girl is amazing. I hacked into counterterrorism and-" Penelope Garcia babbled excitedly.

"Garcia!" Tara Lewis exclaimed, surprised at her co-worker's declaration. "You hacked into counterterrorism? Isn't that-"

"Actually, it's technically not that difficult to hack into the FBI's counterterrorism database. Reports suggest that-" Spencer Reid began to explain, twirling his pen in his hand.

"It's not that bad! Besides, I like to know who's travelling with my family." Garcia said, cutting him off before he could launch into a full review of system security in the US Government. "But, don't worry, she sounds awesome! Plus, I read some pretty bitchy emails about how sour they were that Cruz transferred her to the BAU. It was pretty entertaining." Garcia shrugged nonchalantly, tapping her fluffy pink pen on her furry notepad.

"Is that not illegal?" Luke questioned, raising his eyebrows as he leaned back into his chair.

"Please save it Judgy McJudgerson! Besides, I've done worse. Remember that time I hacked into the CIA and found Prince William's phone number JJ?" She said, looking to her blonde friend for support.

"You what?" Stephen Walker exclaimed, his usually calm voice slightly shocked. "When did you-"

"Maybe it's best not to talk about that again Garcia." JJ advised her, grinning widely as she perched on the end of her desk.

"I'm not even surprised." Luke laughed, shaking his head at Garcia's antics.

Penelope glared at him, pushing her glasses up her nose indignantly. "Zip it Newbie!"

"Why am I the only one who gets stuck with the 'Newbie' nickname?" Luke protested.

"Because, Walker has the voice of an angel and the new girl sounds awesome!"

JJ, Stephen and Tara tried to contain their laughter as the two bickered back and forth.

"Hey guys!" Emily greeted as she approached them, Aoife and Rossi in tow. "I have someone I'd like you all to meet."

* * *

"Everyone, this is Agent Aoife Murphy. She'll be our new Communications Liaison Officer." Emily introduced her to the group sat in front of them. "Agent Murphy, these are Special Supervisory Agents Stephen Walker and Jennifer Jareau, JJ to us, Doctors Tara Lewis and Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia, our technical analyst, and Special Supervisory Agent-in-training Luke Alvez." She said, gesturing to each person as she announced their name.

Walker gave Aoife a reassuring smile, he seemed to have a calming presence. JJ smiled warmly at her, her blonde hair falling in her face as she stood up to greet her. Lewis flashed her an encouraging smile as she shook her hand. Reid grinned childishly as he nodded at her from his seat, twirling a pen between his hands. Garcia rushed forwards to pull her into a friendly embrace.

She got to Luke Alvez last. He stood up to greet her. Luke was extremely tall, with broad muscular shoulders. Aoife could tell that this was probably the team member who was primarily responsible for chasing unsubs. He had short, dark curly hair and stubble framed the bottom of his face. He inclined his head towards her as he firmly shook her hand, a small smile on his face. "It's nice to meet you." He told her sincerely.

"It's great to meet you all." Aoife smiled brightly at the group. "Luckily, I'm good with names!"

A sharp phone call interrupted the group. "Sorry, I have to take this." Prentiss explained, politely excusing herself before returning to her office.

"Ah, it never stops." Rossi joked, causing the group to chuckle. "So, with a last name like Murphy and a first name like Aoife, can we safely assume you've got Irish family connections?" He asked her inquisitively, perching himself on the nearest desk.

"How could you tell? My parents weren't exactly subtle about it." Aoife let out a small laugh. "If only I had a dollar for every time someone's pronounced my name wrong."

"Don't worry, people mispronounce my second name all the time." Luke told her, laughing softly. "Is that a New York accent I hear?" He leaned forward in his seat to face Aoife.

"It is indeed. Queens born and bred." Aoife grinned widely at the young agent. "You don't even have to tell me, you're from the Bronx, right?"

"Naturally!"

"I wouldn't be so proud about that...you guys did give us the Yankees after all." She playfully teased.

"Okay, enough with offending my borough." Luke laughed as he held his hands up in mock surrender.

"New York actually provides fascinating comparative studies of the effect of gentrification in cities-" Reid blurted out, before being interrupted by JJ.

"Spencer's our resident genius by the way." She explained, gently patting Reid on his shoulder. "From gentrification to mummification." She joked. Reid smiled sweetly at Aoife and returned to twirling his pen.

"So, I take it you're not living in Virginia." Walker commented, glancing curiously up at Aoife.

"No, I'm too much of a city girl I'm afraid. I've condemned myself to the commute from DC to Quantico every morning." Aoife pulled a face at the thought of early morning wake-ups.

Lewis laughed warmly. "I can definitely sympathise with that!"

"Oh my goodness! I have to take you for cocktails at this one place in-" Garcia began to exclaim excitedly, before being interrupted by the arrival of Prentiss.

"Guys, it looks like we have a case." Prentiss explained as she approached them. "Briefing room in fifteen minutes please."

The team exchanged looks with one another, before dispersing to organise themselves. Prentiss turned around to address Aoife. "Agent Murphy, if you accompany me to my office, I'll personally brief you on the case. It looks like your job starts now."

 _It was time to begin…_

* * *

 **I thought I'd try something a bit different. I'm a tad obsessed with Criminal Minds at the moment so I thought I'd give this story a go. It's going to be focused on Aoife, the new Communications Liaison for the BAU. I've got some good storylines already planned out (especially regarding potential cases). I'm also planning something between her and Luke (I think I fell a bit in love with him over Season 12). I'm still debating about whether this should take place before or after the events of Season 12 or if this story will follow the show's timeline generally. Let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy this chapter and the idea of this story. It's not my best writing but I just wanted to get the first chapter up and see how it goes.**

 **The face claim for Aoife is Katie McGrath in case anyone was wondering.**

 **If you want to check out more, take a look at my Tumblr ( butsomeofusarelookingatthestars) which will have more photo edits, one-shots etc.**


	2. Chapter 2: Roses

**Chapter 2: Roses**

" _For men love what they cannot have, and hate what they cannot control." –_ _ **Robin Maxwell**_

"This case is taking us to Seattle." Prentiss announced, perching carefully on her desk as she surveyed Aoife. "We'll need you with us in the field, the murders have apparently drawn a fair amount of media attention."

"Of course." Aoife replied, nodding as she flickered through the case file Prentiss had handed to her. "The press just loves sensationalising, don't they?" She commented scornfully, as she glanced at a bold headline titled 'WOMAN-SLAYER STRIKES AGAIN', accompanied by a gruesome photograph of the crime scene.

"They just can't help themselves, can they?" Prentiss replied disdainfully. "But, I have complete confidence in your abilities to keep them in line." She added thoughtfully, flashing Aoife a small smile.

Aoife grinned back at her, eager to launch herself into the case. "That's my job."

* * *

"So, the Seattle Police Department have requested the BAU's assistance in solving four homicides that have taken place in the city over the past two months." Aoife declared, her clear and confident voice capturing the immediate attention of her new team members. She glanced behind her as the large screen presented images of the victims.

"The bodies of four women have been discovered in their homes. 35-year-old Eva Green was discovered dead in her apartment two months ago. Danielle Michaels, a 37-year-old businesswoman, was found a month later in the townhouse she lived alone in. Three weeks after Danielle's murder, the body of office manager Rachel Woods was discovered at her home. Then, just last night, 33-year-old Lisa Orbon was found dead in her apartment." Aoife explained, ignoring the twinge of sympathy she felt for the victims, she knew she had to be objective in her job. They only thing she could focus on was solving the case. She already knew that her new role would drastically different to the one she'd had in counterterrorism.

"They'd all suffered from extensive injuries - with some pretty nasty ones inflicted on their faces – but, the Coroner ruled cause of death as asphyxiation." She continued, zooming in on the crime scene photos so the team could get a closer look. "He all found severe bruising around each of their necks which suggested that the unsub had strangled them to death using his own hands."

The team was silent for a moment as they observed their individual tablets.

"Detectives also found something a little bit strange left at the scene." Aoife told them, clicking the remote to display a close up of the object.

"A red rose?" Stephen asked curiously, his eyebrows raising in surprise at the find. "He's definitely trying to send a message."

"Gee, why must unsubs destroy romance for us?" Garcia muttered under her breath as typed furiously away on her laptop. The whole team bit back smiles. Aoife could tell that Garcia's light-hearted nature was a valued asset in the BAU. She already knew that she'd be grateful for it in some of the dark times ahead.

"He must be pretty physically fit. Overpowering someone to strangle them with your bare hands isn't an easy feat." Rossi remarked, his gaze fixated on the grisly photographs. "Were there any signs of sexual assault?"

Aoife shook her head. "No."

"But, strangulation is an extremely intimate method of murder." Reid piped up, leaning back in his chair as he addressed the room. "Statistics show that it's often one of the most common causes of death in female homicide victims. It's commonly linked to domestic violence and the perpetrators are often male partners or ex-partners. It's possible that the physical act of strangulation is how the unsub gets his sexual release."

"That's true boy wonder, I anticipated your wonderful train of thought and researched into our victims, hoping to find a connection. But, sadly, I was unable to find any direct overlap between them." Garcia stated, halting her rapid typing to adjust her diamante-rimmed glasses.

"But, there's a lot of similarities between them." Aoife told them, turning to face the photographs of the four women. "All of them share a striking resemblance to one another – all were petite brunettes in their thirties. Not to mention, they'd all experienced significant professional success."

"He definitely has a type." Tara commented.

Luke nodded, flicking through the photographs on his tablet. "It looks like victimology may be the most important tool we have to try to catch this guy." He looked up at Prentiss for confirmation. Aoife assumed he valued his Unit Chief's opinion greatly, especially considering he was still a Supervisory Special Agent in-training with the BAU.

Emily nodded in agreement, leaning forward in her seat to address her team. "We know who he'll likely target which means we have a head start. Aoife I'd like you to work with the local PD to release a statement warning women who fit that description to take extra precautions."

Aoife inclined her head towards her new boss. "Of course. I've already called ahead to try to smooth things over with Seattle PD."

"Speaking of the local police, how come we didn't get the call sooner?" JJ asked her brow furrowed in confusion as she scanned through her tablet. "Four victims in two months? Not to mention the obvious signature. Why did it take them so long to contact us?"

Aoife sighed. "Apparently, there's been a bit of tension in the department. Their new Chief of Police, who was only appointed six months ago, seems determined to prove himself. He's repeatedly refused calls to invite the FBI in."

Rossi scoffed loudly. "I already can't wait to work with him." He muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Emily cleared her throat. "I know we're going to have our hands full with this case, especially given the potential issues with local police, but this unsub has escalated his attacks and he's not going to stop until we catch him. Wheels up in 30 everyone."

* * *

Aoife stared around in amazement at the impressive private jet, surprised that the FBI brass had allowed the BAU access funds to provide such comfort. Rossi clapped her on her shoulder as he passed, apparently amused at her stunned reaction.

"We like to travel in style." He playfully winked at her as he took his seat.

Aoife laughed warmly as she sat down, placing her stack of files on the table in front of her. "I'll say." She glanced around the plane one more, taking in her environment. "Counterterrorism would be jealous if they knew."

"I thought the same when I first saw the jet." Tara said, smiling at Aoife as she took a nearby seat. "It was different to what I was used to as a forensic psychologist."

Aoife smiled at the FBI agent, grateful that she was trying to make her feel more at ease in her new surroundings.

"Yeah, the military didn't really provide microwave popcorn on our flights either." Luke humourously piped up from his place at the back of the plane. Aoife just laughed softly as she buckled her seatbelt. She was appreciative of the team's good sense of humour. It wasn't too often that people with such serious jobs engaged in light-hearted jesting.

"Attention my knights in bulletproof vests, this is your Goddess of wisdom calling!" Garcia's cheerful chirp drew everyone's attention to the television screen. She waved a fluffy pen at them in greeting. "I hope you're impressed Agent Murphy. Even if the bland paint colours on the jet leave much to be desired." She sighed, pouting playfully as she gestured to the wall beside Aoife.

"I'm very impressed, thank you Garcia." Aoife replied, smiling brightly at the upbeat technical analyst.

A wide grin spread across Garcia's face, before she turned her attention back to her computer. "My digging has revealed a juicy piece of gossip for you all." She announced, twirling her hair around her pen as she addressed the team. "All of our victims had recently received a promotion in the weeks leading up to their deaths."

"That's definitely a pattern." Stephen remarked, his eyebrows raised in interest at the news.

"Apparently, our unsub isn't a fan of sisters doing it for themselves." Garcia muttered.

"If he's targeting successful women, he might be stalking them in advance." JJ offered, leaning back into her leather seat.

Emily nodded in agreement. "If that's the case, we have to assume that he's fairly disciplined."

"But, the discipline he displays leading up to the murders seems to collapse during the kill." Reid added, twisting his hands together as the team glanced at him. "The severity of the victim's injuries suggest the unsub unleashed his ultimate rage on these women."

"So, the women's injuries were deliberately inflicted as a form of torture? Rather than being a result of a blitz attack?" Luke questioned thoughtfully, his eyes hardening as he stared at the photographs on his tablet.

"It looks like we have a sadist on our hands." Rossi muttered darkly. "He's getting off on the pain he's inflicting on these women."

"His cooling off period has been getting consistently shorter, time will be of the essence on this case." Emily announced solemnly, looking at each member of her team. "JJ and Lewis go to the ME. We need to find out as much as we can about our victims. Walker, Reid and I will get settled in at the local police station. We'll start working on a geographical profile and establish victimology." Her voice rang out authoritatively as she directed the agents.

She turned her attention to Aoife. "Murphy, Alvez and Rossi, I want you to visit the most recent crime scene. The media's already in a frenzy there, so try to keep them under control." Aoife nodded, glancing at her two colleagues that would accompany her. Luke offered her an encouraging smile. She felt her lips tug upwards as she looked at the FBI agent. He seemed like a good guy.

A gentle hush fell over the team as the horror of their task sank in. All of them were silently hoping that they would find the unsub, before he had the chance to commit another murder…but, all of them were well-aware that the odds were stacked against them.

* * *

Luke groaned in disbelief as he pulled the SUV up in front of the large apartment block. His eyes narrowing as he glared at the bustling crowd of news reporters and photographers crammed outside the doors.

"Prentiss wasn't joking when she called it a media frenzy, huh?" He muttered, glancing at Aoife who just shrugged in response.

She hadn't really been expecting anything different. As far as the press was concerned, murder was worth money. Sadly, it was the gruesome storylines that captured the public's interest. But, distasteful media attention could be used to law enforcement's advantage…and it was her job to achieve that goal.

"Murder always generates a media circus." She noted, eyeing the crowd with slight distain as she unbuckled her seat belt. "I'll meet you guys inside, it looks like you'll need a distraction."

Rossi chuckled quietly as he reached for the car door. "You're a brave woman Agent Murphy."

* * *

"The FBI is assisting the Seattle Police Department in their investigations into the recent murders of four women." Aoife declared confidently, her strong voice momentarily silencing the chaos engulfing the courtyard.

Her statement was rudely interrupted by a loud shout from a reporter, requesting details about the FBI investigation. She braced herself, mentally preparing herself for the barrage of questions guaranteed to flood in after her next announcement.

"We will not comment on the case during the early stages of our investigation." There was an outburst of noisy protest. Aoife paused, fully expecting the outcry. But, she knew how detrimental an early statement could be to the case. Not to mention, to their relationship with local law enforcement. Patience was essential.

She held her hand up to silence the rowdy reporters. "We also advise women in the local area, particularly those who live alone, to take extra precautions to ensure their safety. We'd urge anyone with concerns, or information, to contact the FBI helpline or the local police department." She advised, ensuring she made eye contact with members of the crowd. It was crucial they warned the public.

"That's all for now, but we will release a press statement later today." She finished, before striding off to join her teammates – ignoring the cries of reporters and the blinding camera flashes. It was all part of the job.

* * *

Aoife sighed heavily as she sank back into her chair, her eyes still scanning through the case file in front of her. She'd been trapped in the local police station for the past four hours, the rest of the team filtering in and out as they followed up on leads.

The press conference and delivery of the profile was scheduled to take place in an hour's time. A source of slight trepidation for Aoife.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a cup of coffee was placed in front of her. She looked up to see Luke smiling at her kindly.

"You looked like you needed a coffee." He explained, taking a seat next to her.

Aoife murmured her thanks as she took an appreciative sip of the hot liquid.

"I'm sorry that it's only the crappy police station kind." Luke grinned at her as he took a large swig from his own cup. "It's not quite up to New York standards."

A smile lit up Aoife's face. "I swear I'd travel back just to grab a cup of proper coffee and some black and white cookies." She replied, somewhat wistfully.

It was true. She loved DC, but she deeply missed her home city. Thankfully, it was only a relatively short distance back to Queens. When her busy job permitted her to, she often made the trip back home. It was strange having someone on the team who understood that longing. She glanced up at Luke who was smiling into his coffee cup.

"My mom occasionally sends some up to me. It's almost like a New York food relief package." He grinned fondly at the thought, before a moment of silence passed between them. The ticking clock in the background making them both aware of the pressing task at hand.

"How's your first day going so far?" He asked, leaning on his forearms as he reached across the table to pick up a case folder.

"As good as can be, I suppose." Aoife replied, briefly hesitating for a moment before deciding to continue voicing her thoughts. It was nice to be able to confide in someone. Besides, Luke was a fairly new addition to the team as well. He'd understand.

Before leaving Quantico, Prentiss had provided her with a brief background on each team member. So, Aoife was aware that Walker had only joined the team recently as well. But, he was a seasoned agent and an extremely experienced profiler. Whereas Luke was a former military man who'd moved from the Fugitive Task Force to join the BAU. It was reassuring to know that another team member understood her situation – to be the new agent in the close-knit and impressive team.

"It's very different to counterterrorism, the crimes just seem so much more personal." Aoife explained, glancing at the photographs pinned to the evidence board.

Luke nodded, his dark eyes following Aoife's gaze. "It's not easy seeing the victims, especially on a case like this. But, you did really well at the crime scene. I wouldn't have guessed you were new to the role."

Aoife felt flattered by his compliment. She'd been completely comfortable in front of the reporters, but the actual crime scene had been a little more difficult. Of course, she'd dealt with fairly horrific sights in counterterrorism. But, she'd always felt a certain level of detachment with the cases. A lot of it was concentrated on intelligence gathering, rather than assessing all the grisly details.

"Thanks Alvez." She smiled appreciatively at her fellow agent.

* * *

"We're looking for a white male, aged 30-40." Prentiss began, taking the lead on the profile.

Reid cleared his throat. "The excessive violence perpetrated against these women, and the presence of the red roses, suggests a level of intimacy in these murders."

"He knows these women?" A police officer piped up, briefly interrupting Reid. "I thought there was no overlap between the victims."

"There isn't." Tara firmly explained. "But, we believe that these women are surrogates for his anger. It's likely that he's killing them in place of a woman with similar attributes that he has or has previously had a relationship with."

Some of the officers nodded as they quickly jotted down information on their notepads. It turned out that not all of them had the same negative attitude as their Chief of Police. In fact, many of Seattle's officers had been more than accommodating to the BAU. Unfortunately, that had seemed to anger their leader even further. All day, Aoife had the tough task of trying to mediate his frustration.

Luke confidently stepped forward. "We believe that our unsub is building up his confidence to confront his true target. With each murder, he'll feel more emboldened." He folded his arms across his chest as he took a step backwards to re-join the group.

"The key to solving this case lies in the victimology. The object of the unsub's rage will almost mirror the current victims – both in appearance and lifestyle." Rossi announced, perching himself on a nearby desk. "So, look for women who fit the physical description and who have been recently promoted. We think that the professional success of women particularly enrages our unsub."

"It's possible that his partner or ex-partner has recently been promoted, perhaps undermining his self-esteem. This insecurity has led his to lash at out." Stephen announced, his calm voice capturing the room's attention.

"We also think that the trigger for this unsub could have been a personal setback. Such as the loss of his own job or a break-up, or both." JJ added, eyeing the officers carefully as they listened intently to the BAU's advice.

"We'll be releasing a brief profile to media to assist in identifying the unsub and to warn potentially vulnerable women. It might help narrow his victim pool." Aoife explained coolly, glancing at JJ who gave her a small encouraging smile. The profiler had already been a great help to Aoife, providing lots of helpful tips and guidance. After all, JJ had been the BAU's Communications Liaison for many years before she'd became a profiler.

Prentiss nodded, before concluding the profile. "That's all we have for now, but bear in mind that this is a working profile. We'll keep you updated on any developments we make."

* * *

The room was filled with tension as the Chief of Police glowered at Prentiss. The BAU had anticipated him as a potential obstacle, but his arrogance was becoming extremely problematic for the investigation.

The press statement had gone perfectly to plan. The team retiring afterwards to their designated meeting room to regroup and collect their thoughts. Unfortunately, they had been interrupted by another murder. The victim once again was a brunette female in her thirties, found strangled to death in her home.

The department leader had decided to take exception to the BAU's early profile, accusing it of being ineffective in the light of the new attack.

"I understand the pressure you're under, but-"

Prentiss rational reasoning was rudely interrupted by a scornful hiss.

"The BAU is here to assist your department Chief. Our profile is only one aspect of the investigation. We're close to catching this unsub, but in order to do that we all need to be working together." Aoife replied calmly.

It was important for the FBI to remain above local police politics. It was obvious that the Chief was feeling insecure about his new position. He was clearly concerned with his officers questioning his suitability for the job whilst a serial killer ran rampant across the city.

He was momentarily silenced by her intervention, biting his lip as he considered his next words.

"I'm just under a lot of pressure. We have to catch this guy soon." He warned, before exiting the room. The whole team either sighing in relief or raising their eyebrows at his abrupt departure.

"Not exactly charming, is he?" Rossi noted sarcastically as he sank back into his chair.

A brief flickered across Prentiss' face, before she turned to address the team. "This most recent murder is another escalation in his violence. We have to assume that's he built up the courage to confront his true target."

"We need to find her, before he does." Stephen said, finishing her thought process.

JJ sighed as she picked up her phone. "Garcia's done some digging for us, but she needs to narrow the parameters of her search down. There's just too many names to go through." She pressed the dial button, connecting her to their favourite technical analyst.

"Greetings to my fellow blonde Queen!"

Everyone smirked at Garcia's bubbly tone. She seemed to always be there to provide the lift they needed.

"You're on speaker Garcia! Can you pull up that list on names you collected?"

"You got it! Have you geniuses come up with a way to cut it?"

"I might have one way to cut it Garcia." Reid told her as he scribbled furiously on the evidence board. "Try limiting your search to women who have been involved in cases of, or reported domestic abuse. It's highly likely that violent behaviour like his has been building for a long time."

They heard Garcia's heavy sigh as she finished typing. "That's still a depressingly long list guys."

"What if he wasn't physically violent?" Aoife asked curiously, flicking through the case file in front of her. "You guys said he's been building up the courage to confront his intended target. Would he even have had the confidence to unleash his rage on her physically before now?"

"You're right. Maybe his anger was channelled through more covert methods." Luke exclaimed, flicking his pen eagerly as he leaned in closer to the phone. "Garcia can you focus on the cases involving controlling behaviour? Specifically, those in which the female filed a restraining order?"

"You got it Newbie."

A bemused smile crossed Luke's face, he'd clearly come to accept Garcia's teasing as part of his initiation process.

"Hey, here's one. Walter Cross had a restraining order filed against him by his wife, actually his soon to be ex-wife Linda."

"What did she report him for Garcia?" Tara asked.

"Controlling behaviour, she'd said he'd became insanely jealous…following her promotion at work. He lost his job at the marketing firm where he worked six months ago." Garcia murmured in disbelief, struck by the obvious connection to the case.

"He fits our profile perfectly." JJ exclaimed, glancing at the rest of the team.

"Get this as well, his ex-wife filed for divorce two months ago."

"Right when the killings started." Luke realised, already rising from his seat in anticipation.

"Let's go." Prentiss ordered her team as they leapt into action. "Murphy keep the Chief updated on our progress."

"Of course. Good luck guys."

* * *

Aoife stifled a yawn with her hand. She was sure she'd get use to extensive travel required to be in the BAU, but she was currently unable to fall asleep. Her new surroundings and the gentle movement of the jet preventing her from completely relaxing.

It had been a good day. The team had solved the case and apprehended the unsub. Even the Chief of Police had eventually thanked them profusely for their assistance. It was just sad that the unsub had managed to claim five innocent lives before they'd caught him.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Luke taking the seat across from her. He gave her a small smile, amused by her tired appearance.

"Can't sleep?"

Aoife smiled softly, shaking her head. "I think I'll just wait until I can collapse into my own bed."

Luke chuckled warmly, leaning back to get more comfortable in his leather seat. "I'm usually the only one who's always awake on the flight home. It takes a while to switch off."

Aoife agreed with him. It was hard to unwind after such a stressful day.

Luke gazed at her for a moment, grinning as he pulled a pack of cards from his pocket. "Do you fancy a game?"

"Only if it's a game of bullshit." Aoife told him, a small smirk grew on her face as he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"You'll regret challenging me." He playfully warned her as he shuffled the deck. "I'm a bullshit champion."

Aoife burst out laughing at his comment, shaking her head. "You do realise what you've just said, don't you?"

Luke just laughed softly as he began dealing the cards.

It had been hectic few days and Aoife knew her new job would be a demanding challenge. But, as she sat laughing with Luke on the plane home, she felt herself looking forward to what the future held.

* * *

 **So, I finally managed to get Chapter 2 written! I'm sorry for the delay, I've just been so busy recently. I'm not too sure about it. I think it may be a bit too case heavy, but I thought I'd have to take this approach. It's more an introductory chapter into the story, especially into Aoife's job. Things should get going more in the next chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading it! Let me know what you think and thank you so much for all your feedback!**

 **If you want to find out any more information visit my Tumblr, butsomeofusarelookingatthestars. And for those of you who were wondering, Aoife's name is pronounced (EE-fa).**


	3. Chapter 3: Perseverance

**Chapter 3: Perseverance **

" _You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel." –_ _ **Tabitha Suzuma**_

Aoife furrowed her brow in confusion as she glanced at her computer screen. Every time she thought she'd completed her assignments, another one would appear in her inbox.

She enjoyed her job as Communications Liaison for the BAU, but it had been a turbulent few months since she'd joined the team. The constant stream of requests for help and endless cases involving appalling unsubs had opened her eyes to the reality of what the team faced every single day.

She hadn't anticipated such a drastic departure from counterterrorism. The demons the BAU battled against could even make some of her toughest experiences as a Counterterrorism Agent pale in comparison.

However, the support of her colleagues had helped her greatly through the transition.

Prentiss had always been there to provide guidance and wisdom. It meant a lot that the seasoned agent took so much time to help Aoife adjust to life in the BAU, especially considering her overwhelming workload. Aoife assumed that the jump from SSA to Unit Chief had been even more difficult for Prentiss to make than the leap to the highly-esteemed BAU had been for Aoife.

JJ had also been extremely helpful. As former Communications Liaison, she had invaluable advice for Aoife. She was a constant visitor in the office, joking about the comparison between her previously cluttered room and Aoife's neatly stacked folders. They'd spent many lunch times together. JJ offered her respected opinion on what cases should be prioritised whilst the two women chatted happily about their lives. It helped to have a little bit of distraction from the horrors lurking inside the case files. JJ was a proud mom, always talking about her pride in her two young boys. Her husband Will also seemed like a lovely person, occasionally popping into the office to visit her. Aoife thought it was reassuring to know that the BAU didn't necessarily have to mean the absence of a personal life.

All the women had been exceptionally kind. Both Penelope and Tara had taken it upon themselves to help Aoife settle in, enthusiastically taking her to all their favourite bars in DC.

As for the men of the team, Rossi had already established himself as a mentor-like figure for the entire BAU. Aoife had noticed him always hovering around, just in case she needed any assistance. He'd also invited everyone around to his mansion for an Italian cooking session. Aoife had particularly appreciated this invitation. She might have had a love for food, but that certainly didn't mean she was a good cook. In fact, Rossi had been horrified by her lack of culinary skills and she was just grateful she hadn't managed to burn down her apartment yet.

Stephen had also been a reassuring figure. His wealth of expertise in the FBI made him an impressive figure in the BAU. His personable and kind nature helped to make Aoife feel at ease in the Unit. He, like JJ, also had a family at home. His wife, Monica, was even pleased at his job at the BAU as it meant he'd be at home more often than he had been in his post at the BAP.

Spencer, one of the youngest members of the team, had been extremely supportive. Although his extensive knowledge could potentially be intimidating, his sweet and caring nature was charming. Aoife had even offered to help him with some of his paperwork so he could leave earlier and get home to his mother. She could tell that the young agent deeply cared for Diana and was increasingly worried by her ill health. Aoife knew how hard it was to handle family members illnesses so she wanted to help out in any way she possibly could.

Luke had-

Aoife's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the door of her office opening. She glanced up to see Garcia's excited smile beaming down at her.

"Hello my Irish-American darling, I bring juicy gossip from the corridors of the FBI."

Aoife laughed at the eagerness in Garcia's tone, leaning forward to move the pile of files left on the seat opposite her. "Have a seat Garcia."

It had become a regular occurrence for the blonde woman to pop into Aoife's office for an in-depth gossiping session.

Garcia raised her eyebrows in surprise as she took in the cluttered office. Usually Aoife was extremely organised, however the sheer number of cases pouring in had left her office in a state of disarray. Files and reports covered every available inch of the room.

"Wowza, we are keeping you busy." She exclaimed in astonishment as she plonked herself down in the cleared seat.

Aoife grinned as she rolled her eyes. "You definitely are. But, I'm much in need of a break. So, fire away Ms Garcia."

Garcia smirked wickedly before launching into a rundown of the latest office antics. Apparently, Garcia's ex-boyfriend Kevin Lynch had broken up with his latest girlfriend, and fellow bureau employee.

A loud bing interrupted Garcia's gossiping, she glared down at her phone angrily as she read the text message she'd received. She tutted to herself, clearly annoyed at the interruption.

"Newbie needs me to help him with his case report." She scoffed loudly, tossing her phone back down on the table.

Aoife bit her lip to conceal a grin. Penelope and Luke's unique relationship, characterised by their bickering, had unsurprisingly continued over the past few months. JJ had informed her of the reason behind Garcia's reluctance to embrace the former Ranger as part of the team. Apparently, she was finding it difficult to accept her good friend, Derek Morgan's, replacement.

Aoife had initially been confused about Garcia's hostility towards Luke, especially given the warm welcome she'd personally received from the bubbly technical analyst. But, she now understood that it wasn't an issue Penelope had with Luke, rather her longing for her old friend. Aoife noticed that Luke appeared to also understand this, always taking Garcia's teasing in good humour.

Over the past few months, Luke had proven himself to be a true gentleman. Aoife could tell that his protective nature had quickly transformed him into the unit's pillar of strength in more ways than one. His confident presence was the reassurance the team needed in the field. She'd also noticed how considerate and dedicated the former Ranger was. Luke was often the last one to leave the office, usually offering to accompany Aoife to her car if she was working late. After a difficult case, he was the team member who offered a sympathetic ear to all their troubles.

However, that being said, he still remained a bit of a mystery to the team. None of them seemed to know much about his military background or even about his personal life. Although, as native New Yorkers, he and Aoife had exchanged fond memories of their home city.

"Shouldn't you be going to help him?" Aoife asked Garcia, raising her eyebrows at the irritated blonde. Poor Luke was probably sat at his desk awaiting her assistance.

Garcia sighed exasperatedly, rolling her eyes mockingly. "Newbie can wait. He-"

Her justification was cut short by the arrival of Reid who smiled shyly at Aoife as he stepped into the room. "Hey guys, what are you two talking about?"

"Newbie's apparent lack of common sense when it comes to writing reports." Garcia replied, smirking at Spencer as she picked at her jewelled nails.

Reid just smiled softly as he shook his head, knowing full well of Garcia's teasing nature when it came to their fellow agent. "Luke's reports are actually a lot better written than mine."

Garcia dismissed his defence, waving her hand. "Whatever you say boy wonder! Anyway, enough talk about Newbie…Aoife I need the lowdown on your love life." Her eyes lit up with intrigue as she leaned across the desk to get Aoife's attention.

Aoife just laughed warmly, avoiding Garcia's interested gaze. "Believe me Garcia, there's nothing to tell."

Apparently, she'd made a mistake. Garcia squealed excitedly, clapping her hands together with glee. Reid glanced at Aoife sympathetically, instantly knowing Garcia's intentions. Aoife's eyes widened in horror as she realised the technical analyst was intent on setting her up. "Garcia please don't-"

Her slightly panicked order was cut short by the shrill ring of the phone.

It looked like the BAU had another case to solve. Garcia's mischievous antics would have to wait.

* * *

The meeting room was eerily quiet as the rest of the team settled into their seats. They'd all been briefed about the serious nature of the case they were about to be presented with. Aoife had particularly found the news unsettling as this would be the first child abduction case she'd ever worked on.

She cleared her throat before beginning to speak.

"Nine-year-old Joseph Quinn was abducted from outside his family home in San Diego, California last night. He is the third young boy to be abducted from the area in the past three years. The BAU actually consulted on the second victim, Daniel Wilson."

"Daniel Wilson?" Rossi asked, resting his chin on his hand as he glanced around at his team. "He was seven years old when he was taken from his local playground last year."

Aoife nodded, clicking on the remote to display the photographs on Daniel and the crime scene from last year. "Yes, he was abducted and then was murdered a week later. His body was found under a tree in his local park."

Reid squinted through his glasses as he intently examined the photograph displaying Daniel's body. "It's interesting. The way his body was positioned is almost tender. His eyes are closed, arms crossed and body clean."

Tara nodded in agreement. "It looks as if he was cared for before he died. If the unsub kept him a week in captivity before killing him, he definitely looked after him."

"Any signs of sexual assault?" Luke asked, his expression dark at the thought of having to ask such a terrible question. Child victims were still rare to the new profiler and he hoped it wouldn't be a case of having to get used to them, but the unappealing prospect was inevitable.

Aoife shook her head, thankful for small mercies. "No signs of sexual assault."

"What was the cause of death?" Stephen asked curiously, noting the lack of wounds on the boy's body.

"The ME reported traces of pentobarbital in both the first two victims."

"That's a drug we've seen before." Reid quickly piped up. "Ervin Robles used it to euthanise children."

"We could be looking at an Angel of Death type of unsub." JJ commented, her usually warm eyes cold as she took in the horror of the photographs. Ever since she'd had Henry, it had been exceedingly difficult to compartmentalise her emotions on cases involving children – especially young boys.

"Our unsub could also possibly work in the medical profession, giving him easier access to the drug." Prentiss announced to the table.

"He must be fairly confident in these surroundings." Luke noted. "Abducting these children from public places suggests he has capable social skills and fits in easily in these neighbourhoods."

"It could even mean that he potentially lives nearby." Rossi stated warningly, he knew how tricky these cases could be – especially when it involved neighbours as suspects.

Prentiss nodded, agreeing with his assessment. "Garcia's already digging through records to find people reported for crimes against children in the local area."

It saddened Aoife to think that the list their technical analyst was compiling would probably take a while due to its length. This job really was opening her eyes up to a different side of the world. One that she wasn't sure if she wanted to know about.

"Considering this is the third victim in the same area with a similar MO, San Diego PD are requesting your assistance again. They're hoping you can build on the preliminary profile you developed last time, before the trail went cold." Aoife told them, taking in their concerned expressions. She hadn't witnessed the team be this solemn before. It felt as if the stakes had been raised with the severity of this case.

"Let's hope we have more to go on this time." Rossi said softly. The lack of forensic evidence and witnesses had proved a severe hindrance to investigators last time, as had the delayed linkage to the first victim. But, this time the BAU were better prepared.

"What we do know is that this unsub has a specific time frame. He abducts a child once a year and keeps them for a week in captivity before disposing of their bodies." Prentiss firmly asserted, glancing at each member of her team. "We have less than a week to save Joseph. We have a long flight ahead, so we can look into victimology on the plane." She told them, collecting her papers together. "Wheels up in 10 everyone."

With her announcement, the rest of the team quickly dispersed. Their Unit Chief observed them as they hurried off to their desks and offices to collect their things. She sighed heavily. Emily was acutely aware of the strange atmosphere engulfing the room. Crimes involving children were always amongst the most difficult – especially for JJ. She already knew it would be challenging to get her team to focus completely on the science of behavioural analysis during this case.

The task facing the BAU was daunting, but they had to tackle it courageously. A boy's life depended on it.

* * *

The plane over to San Diego had been tense. All of the team had obviously been preoccupied by the horror of the case they had to solve. Despite the jittery atmosphere, the BAU had managed to build impressively on their preliminary profile.

By focusing in on victimology, the team had concluded that their theory of their unsub as an angel of death was likely. The first victim, Nathaniel Adams, had been through the care system and his foster parents at the time of his abduction had been frequently investigated for abuse claims. Daniel Wilson, the second victim, had reported been bullied at school. However, a lack of attention was paid to his turmoil – both by the school and his own parents. Yet, there wasn't a clear motive for the third abduction. Garcia had already cleared Joseph Quinn's parents and there was little to suggest he had suffered any ill treatment. It looked as if the team would have to do more digging on the ground to discover the key information they needed.

It was for that reason why Aoife had visited Joseph's home in order to question, and comfort, his distressed parents. It was important to ensure they were as comfortable as possible, so she'd decided that a home visit was most appropriate. Surely, they would be reluctant to leave their refuge? After all, they were still holding onto the hope that their little boy would return home.

Prentiss had tasked her with interviewing them in order to learn more about his home life. Clearly, it was a tough responsibility. But, it was also essential. Liaising with victim's family was a fundamental aspect of her job and none of the BAU members envied this particular duty.

However, JJ had offered her assistance to Aoife. The blonde agent was exceptionally understanding of her situation. After all, she had been communications liaison for many years and, more importantly, was a proud mother to two beautiful boys. She knew better than anyone how difficult interviewing a child victim's parents could be. Besides, having a professional profiler in the room had been a great advantage to have.

Due to their efforts, they'd managed to extract valuable information from his parents. It seemed as if Joseph's father had placed a lot of pressure on his son – despite his youth. He'd be keen to encourage him to excel academically and athletically. Just last week, his mother had told them, the two of them had gotten into an argument on their way home from baseball practice. Apparently, Joseph had wanted to quit. Perhaps their unsub had misunderstood the innocent interaction and had decided to take action?

JJ had returned back to the local police station to help the team deliver the profile, whilst Aoife had remained at the house to maintain contact with the family. It was important to keep them updated on developments. However, it had been excruciating to watch their turmoil. It was that pain that led her to stand outside for a brief moment of relief. The fresh air was almost cathartic as she took in deep breaths.

Aoife's thoughts were interrupted as Luke approached her with a grim smile.

"Any news?" She asked quietly, glancing back through the window to see Joseph's parents who were motionless on the couch. They hadn't moved from their position next to the phone for the entire time she'd been there.

Luke sighed, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his curls exasperatedly. "No sign of him at all. It's like we've got nearly every part of the profile, except for the most crucial bit." His voice was frustrated as his eyes followed her gaze, softening as they took in the family's anguish.

"How have they been?" He inquired softly.

"What you'd expect really…they just want their son home." Aoife sighed, folding her arms across her chest protectively. She knew all the team was hoping that their wish would become reality.

A soft whine caught her attention. She felt a small smile cross her face as she glanced down at the excitable search dog. The Labrador Retriever wagged its tail happily as she bent down to affectionately pat its head.

Luke grinned at the rare smile that spread across her face. In all honesty, he wasn't surprised that she was a dog person. After all, his profile of Prentiss had been fairly accurate. It had been difficult to avoid profiling Aoife. The team's new communications liaison had intrigued him.

They were from the same city and, despite their local rivalries, they'd grown fairly close over the past few months. It was nice to have someone from home around. In fact, Aoife provided a strange sense of familiarity for him.

"They're so cute." She muttered, scratching behind the dog's ears as it relished her attentions. "I always wanted another dog, but my mom put her foot down after our first one and I'm way too busy for one now. I mean I can barely get myself out of bed in the morning." She told him jokingly, smiling at his bemused expression.

"Well, you're always welcome to see Roxy. Just don't take Garcia's advice regarding pink jumpers." He offered, chuckling softly at the memory of the blonde's attempts to style his dog.

"Ah, is she more of a fan of the casual look?" Aoife laughed softly, well aware of their friend's incessant gift giving.

"Naturally. She's an army dog after all." A moment of silence passed between the two agents. It was rare Luke spoke about his military experience. But, he'd often found himself opening up to the BAU's newest recruit. She seemed to be pretty understanding, listening to him rather than passing judgement.

However, now he came to think about it, he still knew very little about her own personal history. Despite his profiling abilities, Aoife remained somewhat a mystery to him.

Suddenly, a shrill ring interrupted the moment. It was Prentiss. A press conference had to be scheduled.

* * *

"I'm deeply sorry Mr and Mrs Quinn. I can't even begin to understand your pain." Aoife told them, her words sincere and clear as she looked at the wary couple sat across from her. "You must feel so powerless. But, believe me when I say that this is one of the most important things you could do for your son."

Luke nodded in agreement at her words. He was sat beside Aoife on the adjacent sofa. Prentiss had called Aoife requesting that they help persuade the victim's parents to hold a press conference. Due to the lack of leads on the case, the BAU thought an attempted outreach to the unsub might be their best option.

"The police and FBI are professionals and they wouldn't suggest this press conference unless they thought it would be beneficial for Joseph. We all want him home." Aoife explained, holding the mother's gaze for a lingering moment. She knew she'd made a connection with the woman and had to use her existing rapport to gain her complete trust.

The tearful woman finally nodded in agreement, persuaded by the argument the two agents had confidently presented. "What do we have to do?" She asked, her voice strained with grief.

Her husband draped a supportive arm across her shoulder, rubbing her arm to provide a little comfort to his aggrieved wife. He looked at Aoife and Luke awaiting their response.

"We believe the man who abducted your son believed it was an act of compassion, almost as if he rescued him." Luke told them firmly. Aoife noted the husband's guilt-ridden face and tensed jaw. It was clear he still blamed his strict nature for his son's abduction. "It's important that your love for Joseph and your concern for his wellbeing comes across during the statement." Luke continued, looking both of the couple directly in the eye. The wording and delivery of the press conference would be crucial.

* * *

Aoife drummed her fingers nervously against the cup of coffee she was clutching tightly in her hands. The press conference the other day had gone without a hitch. But, Joseph was still missing. The BAU was pushed for time with only one day remaining until the unsub was likely to murder the little boy. It was unbelievably frustrating to feel so powerless. The team had exhausted every single option available to them.

Aoife had reluctantly left Joseph's parents at their home to join the rest of her team at the local police station. She hated leaving them alone in their grief, but she could help more as part of the team. She'd also be dishonest if she denied it was a slight relief to escape their agonising sobs and shouts. Sometimes it was easier to be cold and detached from a case. It made the losses easier to cope with.

She mentally cursed herself for already considering the case as a lost cause. They still had time.

She heard the door swing open as footsteps approached her.

"Hey kiddo." Rossi's calm voice was like music to her ears. The older agent always radiated an air of confidence and wisdom. It was reassuring in times like these. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." She shot him a tight smile. "It's just a difficult case I suppose."

He gave her a small smile as he patted her shoulder sympathetically. "It's never easy. But, you did a great job with the press conference and we're doing everything we possibly can."

Aoife sighed softly, glancing down at her feet to avoid his gaze. "I know…it's just hard. I mean what if the press conference doesn't make a difference, or even makes it worse? I told Joseph's parents that their cooperation would help him."

The thought of her words potentially exacerbating the unsub's desire to kill or his grieving parents accusing her of lying had plagued her mind for the past few days.

Rossi squeezed her shoulder tightly. "Listen kiddo, you've done everything you can. That's all that counts." Aoife smiled weakly at his words. It was kind of him to seek her out to provide support.

"Look, I'm sure you know Agent Todd from your time in counterterrorism."

Aoife nodded. Jordan had been an acquaintance of hers in her old department. In fact, she'd been the first to congratulate Aoife on her new job – telling her that she no doubt she would excel in the role. Jordan had been the BAU's Communications Liaison for a couple of months whilst JJ had been on her first maternity leave. She'd confessed to Aoife that she hadn't been suited to the role. It had been too difficult of a transition to make. Deep down, Aoife was worried she might experience the same fate. But, if that were to be the case, why did she feel so at home in the unit? She'd adjusted quickly to her new team and enjoyed her job immensely. She couldn't imagine returning back to counterterrorism after a taste of the BAU. The work they did was simply exceptional.

"She couldn't take this part of the job. It wasn't part of who she was and that's fine. But, I think it would be a damn shame for you to reach the same conclusion. You can do this, you just need to believe you can."

His words stirred a feeling of hope in Aoife. She suddenly felt motivated to solve this case once and for all. Rossi nodded at her encouragingly before holding the door open for her. It was time to get back to work.

* * *

Prentiss tapped her fingers against her temples as she racked her brain in an attempt to pinpoint the vital information the team was missing. JJ tossed her a burger from the plain brown bag containing the team's sustenance, but Prentiss just glanced at it unhappily. Even their Unit Chief was feeling the strain of the challenging case. They had less than 24 hours to bring Joseph home.

"We're missing something." Tara muttered quietly, scanning over the numerous files splayed out on the table.

"We just don't know what it is." Stephen finished, the gloom in his usually calm voice striking.

A general sigh of exasperation reverberated around the table. The only person who seemed unaware of the group dynamics was Spencer. The younger agent was currently staring intently at the evidence board, his mind whirring into action.

"Usually, it's the unsub's first victim which can sometimes tell us the most." He muttered under his breath, suddenly spinning around to face the rest of the team. He raced over to the table to call Garcia.

"Garcia, the first victim Nathaniel Adams was reported to have been abused by his parents. Can you pull up those records please?"

"You've got it boy wonder. Wow…there's depressingly a lot of these incidents guys."

"What are you thinking?" Luke asked him quizzically, leaning on the table next to Aoife. She glanced up at him, wondering the exact same question.

"I'm thinking that if we've reached a dead end with all other lines of enquiry, we should go back to basics. It's the first victim that can often have a personal connection to their killer." Reid explained, glancing around at each member of the team.

Rossi grunted as he nodded in agreement. "The kid's right. We have nothing to lose either way."

Aoife's emerald-green eyes narrowed as she tried to clear her thoughts. "If you're profiling the unsub as an angel of mercy type, what if his profession led him into contact with his first victim?" She asked quietly. "Maybe a social worker or something?"

Prentiss exhaled softly as she considered the possibility. "You could be onto something. But, nothing about the profile suggests a profession in social work."

JJ clapped her hands together, drawing the attention of the room. "No, but we did predict he had access to the drug through a medical profession. Garcia was Nathaniel Adams ever taken to the doctors or hospital with his injuries?"

"Yeah, a couple of times. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't his abusive parents who took him. I have numerous reports of concerned teachers taking him into the emergency room though. The poor little thing had to even receive stitches once." Their bubbly analyst sounded uncharacteristically downtrodden.

"Is there any overlap between medical staff?" Tara asked, sitting up in her seat in anticipation. This had been the first bit of interesting information the team had investigated for a while.

There was a momentary pause before Garcia's omitted a loud gasp. "Yes! A Doctor Richard Allen treated him every single time. Oh…"

The team glanced around at each other, desperate to know the reason behind their friend's dismay.

"What is it Garcia?" Stephen asked.

"His life reads like a tragedy, like on a Shakespearean level. His father was a nasty piece of work who beat him and his mother regularly. Speaking of which, his mother died when he was only eleven years old and he only left the horror of his household at sixteen when he was finally able to move out on his own. His father died four years ago on…"

"May 15th?" JJ asked, predicting Garcia's information. That had been the day both of the boys' bodies had been discovered on.

"You are, as always, correct."

"Send us his address and the information you have on him Garcia. He's our unsub." Prentiss ordered, leaping out of her chair as the rest of the team joined her. It would be a race against time to save the boy.

* * *

Aoife stood motionless as Joseph's parents paced up and down the private meeting room. Her heart thudded anxiously as they await the team's return. She couldn't bring herself to believe that Joseph was safe until she witnessed it with her own eyes.

A sharp inhale of breath caught her attention as Mrs Quinn grasped at her chest, tears spilling down her cheeks. This time however, they were tears of relief. Suddenly, a small boy raced towards them. He was met by a tight embrace from both his parents who began sobbing in relief. Joseph was finally home. Mr Quinn held his head in his hands as he struggled to cope with his overwhelming emotions, laughing as he promised Joseph would never have to play baseball ever again. Mrs Quinn planted endless kisses over his face, only relenting when Joseph squealed happily in protest. He wiped at his face as his parents beamed at him.

Aoife smiled as she looked over at her team who were stood near the doorway. It was a moment they'd all treasure, watching a child be reunited with his family. She was taken by surprise as arms tightly wrapped around her body.

"Thank you. Thank you so much."

Aoife would remember Mrs Quinn's hoarse whisper for the rest of her life. The job was definitely worth it.

* * *

It had been a long return flight back to Virginia. As usual, most of the team had decided to take advantage of the peaceful atmosphere in order to catch up on sleep. However, Aoife was once again left unable to rest easy. Instead, she'd curled up on a window seat with a blanket draped over her lap. Her eyes surveyed the pitch-black sky outside the jet, finding the imagery strangely calming. It was a nice change to the constant hustle and bustle they were returning to at Quantico.

As soon as they stumbled through the lifts, the rest of the team had retired to their desks to prepare to leave the office. But, Aoife was currently sat at her desk staring blankly at the large pile of folders that remained perched on her table. There were so many more cases to solve. So, did this one small victory truly mean anything? There was always going to be another terrible thing happening somewhere.

Her gloomy thoughts were interrupted by Prentiss' head popping around her door. Her bright smile contrasted sharply with Aoife's low-spirited mood.

"Hey, we're going to O'Keefe's if you fancy it?"

Aoife gave her a small smile and shrugged her shoulders. "I think I may try to catch up on some of these." She nodded towards the intimidating pile of files.

Emily's eyes followed her gaze as she sighed, stepping into the office. "I get it." She told her firmly, her eyes full of understanding. "It's hard knowing there'll always be another case…" She paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink it. "But, we deserve a couple of hours of relief. We did well today and it's important to enjoy the victories when we win them." She grinned as a bright smile began to grow on Aoife's face. The younger agent was recalling the joyful moment of reuniting Joseph with his parents. Emily was right. She had to appreciate the good moments as well as mourn the bad.

"Count me in then."

* * *

"Hey you!"

Luke's cheerful voice immediately caught Aoife's attention. She turned around to flash a smile at him, waving her hand in greeting.

"Are you coming to O'Keefe's?" Luke asked, adjusting the strap on his go-bag as he joined her at the elevator.

She nodded, grinning as she did so. "Prentiss managed to convince me."

Luke's soft chuckle made her grin widen further. "She has a talent for doing that."

"I'm not sure if the FBI brass would be as impressed, but I'd consider it a valuable asset." Aoife replied, her tone full of bemusement. Emily was definitely the type of boss her team members deeply respected. It was refreshing for someone higher up in the Bureau to have a sense of humour and retain a sense of normalcy.

Luke laughed loudly, catching Aoife's gaze as she beamed at him. He found that he'd been doing that more often around his fellow New York native. She made him feel at ease.

He opened his mouth to speak, but a high-pitched squeal interrupted him.

"I'm so happy you're coming out for drinks with us!" Garcia clapped her hands excitedly, before draping an affectionate arm around Aoife's neck. "You have no idea how long it took to convince Newbie over here!" She threw a glare at Luke who raised his hands up in fake surrender.

"Now Garcia, let's all play nice tonight!" JJ laughed softly, guiding the blonde into the elevator as its metal doors opened to avoid more potential conflict.

Aoife smiled at Luke appreciatively as he stood aside, gesturing to her to enter before him.

Rossi clapped the former Ranger on the shoulder as he and the rest of team filtered into the elevator. The seasoned agent smirked smugly at his colleagues, anticipating their reaction to his announcement.

"Yes, I'm buying. So, let's all get along."

The latter part of Rossi's speech was drowned out by the wild cheers the rest of the team erupted at the news that the drinks would be on him.

After all, they deserved a celebration.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for all your feedback so far! It means a lot that you take the time to review my story. Hopefully, this chapter signals that we're finally getting into the swing of things. Let me know what you think and also what you'd like to see in the next chapter – I'm always open to suggestions.**

 **To the guest reviewer last chapter, thank you so much for your review. I hope I can answer some of your questions here. In regards as to why the team often determines that the killer is a white male, there are a couple of reasons. Firstly, statistically speaking, white serial killers form the highest percentage of serial killers when classified by race. (Serial killers are also overwhelmingly male). Secondly, it has been proven that serial killers often tend to only target victims from their own racial group. Obviously, there are exceptions to these generalisations (and, of course, serial killers span across racial groups). But, generally speaking they tend to remain true. I hope this explanation is of some use to you.**


	4. Chapter 4: Closer

**Chapter 4: Closer**

" _Let us fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices are the real murderers. The great dangers lie within ourselves." –_ _ **Victor Hugo**_

Since the draining case in San Diego, it had been a quiet month in the BAU. The team hadn't received any calls asking for help on active cases, other than the occasional consultation requests which could be carried out by individual team members.

The momentary lapse in demand had provided Aoife with the opportunity to savour a brief pause in her caseload. The hectic pace of the Unit had slowed down to an enjoyable tempo. Most of the team had been relieved by the impromptu break, relaxing at their desks as they caught up on paperwork.

The unusually calm atmosphere had led to the team bonding more in the office. One particularly memorable moment was Reid building his own homemade rocket using Aoife's finished water bottle which shot across the office before eventually landing unceremoniously on Anderson's desk, much to his confusion. It was nice to see her fellow agents happy and relaxed for a change. Aoife finally felt completely at home in the BAU.

Garcia had seized at the chance their less chaotic schedules had provided, enthusiastically dragging her on the infamous bar tour she'd promised her when they'd first met.

Of course, Aoife wasn't complaining. She was more than happy to spend her nights with copious amounts of wine. Prentiss, JJ and Tara had opted to join them on many occasions, prompting Rossi to declare that the BAU men needed to organise a 'Gentleman's Evening' in response. Prentiss had just laughed, raising her eyebrows at the older agent before telling him how shady the idea sounded. Although, they all knew what Rossi had in mind was cigars, whiskey and a quiet night in his mansion, rather than any activities of notoriety.

The entire team seemed to be enjoying the light atmosphere, traipsing off to O'Keefe's at the end of the week to celebrate finishing their case reports instead of commiserating a bittersweet end to a troublesome case. The only slight exception to this rule seemed to be Luke.

The former Ranger appeared agitated by the lack of working cases. Perhaps he missed the adrenaline-fuelled chases and the satisfaction of capturing unsubs. Luke seemed to be a man of action, so understandably he wasn't too thrilled at the prospect of being stuck at a desk indefinitely.

Aoife had casually raised the topic to him one night, surprised by their different attitudes to receiving a break from cases.

She had been helping out a friend in counterterrorism with case notes one night and had been surprised to see one of the lamps still switched on in the bullpen. Luke had smiled softly, shrugging as he mentioned wanting to investigate further into a past case. She'd just nodded, wishing him a good night before going to leave. But, his quiet voice had stopped her in her tracks.

" _Have you ever had a case you just couldn't let go?"_

Aoife had been surprised at his words. She wasn't a profiler, but she could sense there was a deeper meaning behind them. She'd turned around to face him, noting the curiosity in his dark eyes. It made sense she supposed, the team didn't know a lot about the specific details of her role in counterterrorism.

" _Of course. But, if you can't let a case go…there's usually a good reason for it."_

Luke had nodded, appearing relieved at her validation. He glanced down at his hands as he decided to tell her what had been troubling him.

" _It's Daniel Cullen."_

Aoife had instantly understood the anger in his voice. Prentiss had updated her on the BAU's task of capturing the escaped serial killers, including what had happened in Arizona.

It was a personal case for all of the team when it involved Peter Lewis, but especially for Luke. Although they'd recaptured Daniel Cullen, he was no longer the man he used to be. Luke had been deprived of the satisfaction of seeing him punished for the suffering he'd put his former Fugitive Task Force partner through.

" _Has there been any change?"_

Luke had sighed, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. No, there hadn't been. Cullen was still in an almost cationic state. There had even been talk of his lawyers filing an appeal on the grounds of his mental health. Luke simply could not let this case go. He owed it to Phil.

Aoife had smiled sympathetically, understanding his frustration, before advising him to go home and get some sleep. Daniel Cullen would always be there tomorrow and there would always be cases that stayed with them as agents. But, they wouldn't be able to do their job properly if they let it affect them. Sometimes certain things were out of their hands.

* * *

In relation to hardworking agents, Aoife raised her eyebrows at the sight that greeted her as she went to drop off files in Prentiss' office – unfortunately, there would always be paperwork to do in the BAU. Reid was sat alone at his desk in the deserted bullpen, pressing his fingertips together as he spun slowly in his chair.

Aoife gave him a small smile as she approached him. She couldn't understand why the usually well-organised and always-prepared agent was still hanging around. If there was one member of the team she could count on to submit their case reports on time, it was him.

"Hey Reid, what are you still doing here?"

Reid had glanced up at her, his eyes dark with sorrow as he anxiously bit his lip. It seemed as if he was having an internal debate with himself.

"It's my mother. You know she has Alzheimer's?"

Aoife nodded slowly, gazing sympathetically at the troubled agent. It couldn't be easy on him to be constantly concerned about his mother's wellbeing.

"Well, she's been getting gradually worse. I- I just don't know what to do." He muttered quietly, hanging his head in defeat as he stared at his feet.

Aoife perched on his desk, bending down slightly to make eye contact with him. "Reid, why don't you take this weekend to go to visit her? We don't have much going on around here anyway and if anything does come up we'll cover for you."

"I don't know."

Aoife flashed him a reassuring smile, sensing he needed a little more encouragement. "Honestly Reid, we'll be fine here. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your family is just to be there for them. She'd love to see you, I'm sure."

Reid slowly nodded, a small smile growing on his face. "You're right. It's just for a weekend as well."

Aoife smiled at his growing confidence. She was certain a visit home would ease some of his nerves.

Meanwhile, Reid was thankful for the newest member's intervention. Her advice had been considerate and thoughtful. Although, he couldn't shake the feeling that the brunette's words were spoken by someone with a personal history of losing a family member.

There was something about her tone and the way her eyes shined with sympathy that suggested to him that she had a secret of her own. However, Reid wasn't one to pry into his colleagues' lives. So, he just thanked her and wished her a good weekend, before he raced home to book his ticket to Las Vegas.

* * *

It was Saturday morning when Aoife was rudely awoken by a shrill ring echoing across her bedroom. She struggled for a moment, grasping desperately across the crisp bedsheets for her mobile.

"Murphy."

She grumbled sleepily, glancing at the clock. It wasn't absurdly early, but she'd always been more of a night owl. For her, Saturday mornings were to be spent in bed.

To her surprise she was greeted by a warm chuckle.

"Is that how you answer the phone to a friend?"

"Luke? I thought it was work. What's up?"

He chuckled again, evidently amused by the groggy tone in her voice.

"I was just wondering if you fancied a walk with me and Roxy? I know you've been dying for a bit of canine company since the last case."

Aoife smiled to herself as she propped herself up on her pillows, finally waking up properly. It was sweet that he'd remembered her fondness for dogs.

"Sure, but I'm only coming to see Roxy." She teased lightly, swinging her legs out of bed as she stood up to stretch.

"Naturally. I doubt you'd get out of bed early on a weekend for anything else." He replied slyly. Aoife could hear the teasing smirk in his voice. "I'll pick you up in half an hour."

"I'll see you then." She told him, laughing softly as she hung up the phone to get ready for the outing.

* * *

It was a bright and sunny day in the Northern Virginian woods as Aoife and Luke traipsed through the trees, Roxy panting as she ran excitedly ahead of them chasing birds. Luke chuckled as his dog barked enthusiastically as if telling them to hurry up.

"She's the most demanding running partner I've ever had, and I've been in the military." Luke told Aoife jokingly, pulling aside a large branch that was obstructing her path.

His fellow agent grinned at him. "She's adorable. It must be a big change for her being back here after Iraq."

"It seems crazy that it was only in 2000 people could adopt them after their service." Luke shrugged, glancing at Roxy fondly as she happily wagged her tail at the sight of them approaching. "I mean loud noises can still spook her a little bit. But, she seems happier than ever."

He bit his lip to conceal a growing smile as Aoife bent down to ruffle Roxy's soft fur, the excitable dog wrapping herself around her legs.

"Well, she deserves it. You both do."

The sincerity in her words made Luke feel slightly exposed. It wasn't often he discussed his military history with others. They just wouldn't understand his perspective unless they'd been through it themselves.

But, Aoife didn't try to analyse him. She just listened. His growing friendship with the brunette had become a surprising source of comfort for him recently.

"So, I have to ask, do you still feel like a newbie at the BAU?" Aoife asked, smiling at Luke's responding sarcastic scoff.

"A little bit, considering Garcia still calls me that."

Aoife laughed softly as the two of them continued their walk. Roxy chased her tail playfully before she scurried to catch up with them.

"I personally think it her own unique way of showing affection." Aoife replied, smirking at the knowing grin on Luke's face.

He knew that the bright blonde had never meant her words in a cruel way. In fact, their bickering had been a source of great amusement for him and the entire team. As a former ranger, he was definitely used to friendly hazing. "Besides, I think I'd rather she call me nicknames than try to set me up."

Luke chuckled, well aware of Garcia's intentions. She'd established herself as a cupid-like figure in the FBI – even helping set her ex-boyfriend up with another agent.

"I'm being serious Luke. I'm just glad I have an excuse to dodge her valiant efforts today." Aoife grinned at Roxy as she sniffed curiously at one of the towering trees.

"I don't know, she could always ambush you after this." Luke teasingly warned her.

It was true. It wouldn't be unlike Garcia to show up unannounced at Aoife's apartment to drag her out.

"Well, I might be safe given the state of me this morning." She laughed softly, gesturing down at her scruffy outfit. "I'm not fit for meeting anyone."

Luke just shook his head, chuckling at her light-hearted joking. It was strange to see the brunette in casual clothes. Every time he'd seen her in the BAU she'd looked every inch the professional FBI agent. But, there was something lovely about her fresh-faced look. It made her look younger…happier almost. She seemed to be exuberating a carefree nature that, understandably, he had rarely witnessed inside working hours.

"She reminds me of my sister." Aoife continued, grinning at the thought of her outgoing and inquisitive sibling. "She's always calling up to pry details of my life from me…with the best intentions, of course!"

Luke smirked, fully aware of the interfering nature of family. "She sounds like an interesting person."

"Believe me, Ida definitely could have made it as a spy."

Luke laughed softly, as he whistled for Roxy to come back to them. He knew she was a fiercely independent dog, but he didn't want her getting lost in the woods. "You have another sibling, right? A brother?"

Aoife smiled. "Yeah, Emmet. He's the family troublemaker." She paused for a moment, her gaze travelling towards the forest floor. She shifted her feet slightly as the brittle leaves crunched under her feet. It felt as if she were holding herself back from saying something.

Her mouth opened, but she was suddenly interrupted by a shrill ring. Luke smiled apologetically as she rolled her eyes at him, reluctantly pulling out her mobile.

"Agent Murphy." Her grip tightened on her phone and her brow furrowed in confusion as the person on the other end spoke to her.

Luke stroked Roxy's fur, slightly apprehensive at the darkened expression of his colleague. Roxy seemed to sense his anxiousness, leaning up to lick his hand. He scratched behind her ears appreciatively. She always knew how to comfort him. That was the reason why she'd been his lifeline in both Iraq and his life that followed afterwards.

"I'll get the team together immediately." Her curt reply told him it was something serious that had interrupted their outing.

Her green eyes were filled with unspoken worry as she glanced at him nervously.

"We have a case."

* * *

"Following the shooting in Virginia, we're being called in to assess whether it's a case of domestic terrorism." Aoife told the team, glancing around at their concerned faces as they flicked through the incident reports.

"Given the victims, I think it's a definite possibility." Prentiss replied, frowning as she examined her file. All of the crimes the BAU worked on tended to be horrifying, but there was something particularly brutal about murders that appeared to be motivated by pure hate.

JJ began to talk about racial demographics in the area, taking over from the absent role Spencer had left (everyone had agreed that seeing his mother was a priority at the moment). But, Aoife was too distracted by the repulsive crime scene photographs to focus properly on her words. She had spent a lot of time in counterterrorism, however it never got any easier to see the destruction bigotry could cause.

She felt someone's concerned eyes on her, glancing up quickly to flash Luke a reassuring smile. It felt a little embarrassing to have been caught in her distress. Although, she was glad it had been him. She trusted Luke not bring it up in front of the others, he tended to understand how others felt without having to talk to them.

"The proximity of the shooting to the local mosque seems too much of a coincidence to me." Rossi commented, his eyes darkening at the possibility it had been a targeted attack.

A murmur of agreement echoed around the table.

"Aoife, given your expertise, I'm eager to get your initial opinion on the case." Prentiss told her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Aoife nodded slowly, closing her file over as she met her team's worried gazes. "Far right violence is a big concern given its recent growth. Though, most attacks are perpetrated by lone wolves and tend to be less sophisticated than atrocities committed by other terror groups."

Tara nodded in agreement, sighing heavily as she clutched the file in her hands. "Many are often tried as murder rather than prosecuted under terrorism charges."

"If you're asking for my personal opinion…" Aoife paused for a moment, recalling all the work she had done during her time at counterterrorism. "It's one of the major threats facing the country. Whether this case is affiliated to a terror group is for the BAU to discover."

A tense silence seemed to fill the room as everyone's eyes focused upon the television screen as scenes from the murder flashed up. They had a job to do.

* * *

"Do you think this will work?"

"Let's hope so."

A small smile curved onto Aoife's lips as Luke held the door open for her, taking a deep breath before she entered the interrogation room. It hadn't taken long for the BAU to track down their unsub, swiftly arresting the man who was filled with such hate that he unleashed it on innocent people. However, the team was concerned that – despite not being officially linked to any groups – their murderer had the resources to have planned another attack in order to wreak havoc in the city.

After all, the power of an ideology could never be underestimated. Aoife suspected that the man had probably been able to coerce a weak-willed friend into completing his 'mission'. It was her and Luke's job to ensure that he failed.

"It isn't a crime to defend your country." The unsub spat furiously, already enraged by the agents' mere presence in the room.

This was exactly what they had wanted. Luckily, Aoife knew how to get under his skin even more. She nodded slowly, pausing as she glanced at Luke from her seat. A smug smirk played on her lips as if she were silently mocking his words.

His jaw clenched tightly in anger as he observed her condescending gesture.

"Of course, it's not." She told him, lacing her fingers together as she sank back into her seat. "Agent Alvez and I both know that." She smiled sweetly as she gestured towards her badge.

Luke grinned slightly, knowing exactly where she was heading. It wasn't just innocent civilians that their unsub hated, it was the FBI. Their aim was to infuriate him to the point when he lost control over himself, hopefully revealing his plans to them.

"He even served in the military…" She explained, inclining her head towards her fellow agent. "What have you ever done?"

The question filled with such distain managed to break the unsub, practically snarling as he struggled to break free of his handcuffs.

"It doesn't matter. You won't stop him. He learnt from me."

Luke noticed the slight concern in the unsub's eyes as he realised he had given too much away. Not only had he confirmed that he had a mentee willing to carry out his plan of terror, but his choice of words was also telling – 'learnt'. Garcia had already uncovered that their unsub was a former teacher, losing his job after many complaints concerning his erratic and abusive behaviour.

"Thank you for your cooperation Mr Johnston." Luke replied, daringly patting him gently on his hands just because he knew it would anger the man even more.

Punishing racists was one of the things he would never get tired of doing in his job.

* * *

It had been a successful end to a very difficult case. Although the BAU had quickly apprehended their unsubs before they had the chance to commit another atrocity, it had taken its emotional toll on the team. Cases that involved such hated always did. However, whilst the rest of the team slunk off to O'Keefe's in order to try to forget about their day, Aoife had decided to head home.

The nature of the case had brought back a lot of memories from her time in counterterrorism that she didn't really wish to relive. Fortunately, Luke had picked up on her exhaustion and kindly offered her a lift home.

She knew he must had noticed her slightly strange behaviour during the case. His concerned eyes had followed her as held the car door open, allowing her to sink into the comfortable seat.

There was a moment of silence as Luke pulled up outside Aoife's apartment block. He could sense that something was troubling his fellow agent. Her subdued mood couldn't have been more different from her relaxed and carefree attitude this morning on their walk with Roxy. Something about the case had disturbed her.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, finally deciding to ask the question that had been playing on his mind all day.

Aoife didn't meet his eyes as she stared straight ahead. She bit her lip as if trying to determine whether she should answer.

"I'm fine."

Luke shot her a pointed look as he sank back into the leather seat. She had always struck him as an intensely private person. But, he was a profiler and, more importantly, her friend. He didn't want to leave her alone knowing something was wrong.

Aoife sighed softly, reluctantly turning to face him. "This case reminded me of one that I worked on in counterterrorism…" She paused for a moment, glancing down at her hands. "It just got to me. You almost forget the hatred people can have for others."

Luke nodded slowly, beginning to understand what had provoked his fellow agent's distress. It had only been recently that he had confided his own personal demons to Aoife. She must have had her own nightmares that haunted her past.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Her eyes softened as she glanced at him, a quiet sigh escaping her lips. "Maybe another time."

Luke nodded slowly, accepting her words. He respected her decision and wasn't the type to push someone to talk. He just wanted her to know that he was here if she did ever need him. Truthfully, he couldn't blame her for being slightly withdrawn. An agent's past was always going to be a sensitive subject. Some cases just had an unimaginable impact on their lives.

Besides, Luke wasn't the most open person himself. He still hadn't felt comfortable enough to divulge his personal history with the military to the team. Aoife was entitled to her own privacy.

There was almost an unspoken agreement between the two of them as they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Just enjoying one another's presence.

"Thanks Luke."

He smiled softly, shaking his head. "Don't mention it. I'm always here, if you need to talk."

A small smile flittered across her face as her lips turned upwards at his words. "We'll reschedule our run with Roxy?"

He chuckled softly, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel in amusement. "Of course. After all, we have to make up for our ruined weekend."

* * *

 **I'm finally back with an update! Sorry, for the overdue chapter but I ended up doing a lot of changing around etc.**

 **This chapter's a little strange because the Aoife herself and Luke are the main focuses, rather than the case. However, I felt that I had to do it in order to establish her background and their development. The case topic is one that I will be returning to later in much greater detail. The next chapter will probably start getting into the actual Season 12 storyline, I just wanted to get the main aspects of the story in place before I delved into the show.**

 **Thank you for all your reviews and support!**


	5. Chapter 5: Challenges

**Chapter 5: Challenges**

" _And how odd it is to be haunted by someone that is still alive." –_ _ **Unknown**_

It began as an unusually calm day at the BAU. Following the tough case in their own backyard, the lapse in demanding workload was much appreciated by everyone – especially Aoife. The event had brought back a lot of unpleasant memories for her, things that she wasn't quite ready to discuss with anyone yet.

Luke's kind words had meant a lot to her and she knew that she could trust all of her team members with her troubles and secrets. However, she couldn't even admit to herself that certain aspects of her job still kept her awake at night – let alone to everyone else.

Aoife had always found it difficult to open up to others, perhaps depicting it as a weakness she couldn't afford. Obviously, she knew her fear was unfounded. No one here would ever judge her for being human. It was more of a problem she had to personally overcome.

However, in the meantime she would enjoy a surprise break in casework – treasuring every moment that she and her colleagues didn't have to examine gruesome crime scene photographs and interrogate men filled with such hatred that it terrified them all.

Commencing the morning with a strong cup of coffee, a bag of delicious pastries and a much-needed gossip with friends seemed like the perfect start. She smiled happily as she stood beside Garcia and Tara in the elevator, listening intently to the latter's anguish about meeting up with her brother Gabriel later today.

"Trust me, I know how irritating brothers can be." Aoife told Tara, laughing softly as her fellow agent glanced at her exasperatedly.

It was true. Her older brother Emmett seemed to have made it his life's mission to be as troublesome as possible – often resulting in her receiving panicked calls off her mother requesting that she step in to stop him from pursuing ridiculous ventures. So, if anyone understood how difficult it was for Tara to meet up with her own unruly brother, it was Aoife.

The communications liaison had already assured Tara that the BAU wasn't expecting any case work for the day, but the agent had decided to check with Prentiss just make sure that taking the day off wouldn't be an inconvenience for the team.

"I never thought I would wish for us to have a case, but…"

"A distraction would be nice?" Aoife joked, grinning at Tara as nodded quickly in agreement.

It seemed strange that FBI agents who spent their life chasing down unsubs and risking it all in perilous situations would be apprehensive at the thought of family reunions. However, they all knew how difficult it could be to cope with the overwhelming emotions that came attached to their loved ones.

Even behavioural analysists weren't immune to having messy personal lives. Whether that was reassuring or worrying was still to be decided for Aoife.

"I can't believe serial killers have taken a day off." Garcia exclaimed, her expression thoughtful as she considered the joyful prospect. "Maybe, they're at the spa!"

Laughter echoed around the elevator as the three women burst into hysterics at Garcia's suggestion. It seemed like it was going to be a great day…

* * *

It was a quiet morning in the bullpen as Luke sipped on his hot coffee, leaning back in his chair as he flicked through some of the files perched on his desk. Being a former ranger, he had always preferred field work because it felt as if he was actively making difference. However, he was rather pleased at the current lull in his caseload.

Ever since he had joined the unit, things had been hectic. Even Stephen had taken advantage of the surprise break in order to spend some time with his family – much to their delight. The change in pace was something Luke knew he too had to enjoy while it lasted. Besides, the relaxed atmosphere would probably be well-received by his colleagues – one in particular.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he glanced towards the glass doors, a soft smile playing on his lips as he watched Aoife laughing with Garcia and Tara. He had been in awe of her work during the last case, respecting her tenacity and strength. It was rare that the two of them were paired up to work together, but he had enjoyed the experience.

Above all, it had been her compassion and sensitivity towards the victims that he had admired most. It wasn't often that FBI agents showed their emotions, arguing that compartmentalisation was a key skill to successfully perform their roles. He too was guilty of concealing his feelings from time to time in order to concentrate on a case. However, it was clear that the passion that drove Aoife to excel in her job came from a possessing a deep empathy for others and that was something Luke truly respected.

It struck him as odd that she preferred her communications liaison role to active field work. Her determination and cunning had shone through during their interrogation, leaving him wonder why she had opted for the new role instead of one focused on investigation.

He knew it must have something to do with her past in counterterrorism, a history she was unwilling to divulge much about. Naturally, Luke understood her hesitancy – he himself had taken a long time to open up to his colleagues about the ghosts that still haunted him. But, he did hope that she would be able to entrust him with her story in the future.

He couldn't quite explain why, but Aoife meant a lot to him. If he could help her in anyway, he would do it.

* * *

Unfortunately, a good day at BAU never lasted – with the disturbing interruption occurring just after Tara rushed back from her meeting with Gabriel…or, as it turned out, the stranger who had turned up posing as her brother.

Currently, the team were running prints and DNA in the hope of uncovering the truth behind the mysterious man pretending to be her brother.

"Why would Gabriel make me meet a stranger? Is it another one of his scams?" She asked quietly, frowning slightly as she glanced down at the phone clutched tightly in her hands.

It hurt that Gabriel had been back in the DC area for a month without telling his own sister. However, she couldn't really blame him. After all, they hadn't parted on the best terms.

However, even if Tara had been nervous about meeting Gabriel, perhaps worried that he had become involved in another get-rich-quick fraud scheme and she would have to bail him out of bankruptcy again. She now would have given anything to see her little brother's face.

Knowing he was out there in trouble filled her with an uncontrollable terror. She had always promised to protect him, desperate to be there for him when their mother was unable to. It didn't really matter if he had turned his back on her. She could never fail him.

"Whatever it is, we're going to figure it out." Spencer assured her, flashing her a reassuring smile before he rushed off to collect the results from the lab.

Prentiss hummed in agreement, gently tapping Tara's arm in an attempt to comfort her. "If someone's messing with you, someone's messing with all of us."

Aoife smiled softly at Tara, nodding in support at their unit chief's sincere words. If anything was true, it was that the BAU stuck together. They were each other's family and they would do anything to help one another. Despite being the team's most recent addition, Aoife knew that if they could trust in anything, it was their faith in one another.

* * *

A tortuous wait had put the entire team on edge, eagerly anticipating JJ's findings following her interview with Tara's 'brother'. It had been Prentiss' interrogation strategy to deny him his true want, Tara. However, it was obvious how much their colleague was struggling with the strange turn of events.

Somehow the fake Gabriel knew all about their family history, detailing every aspect of her brother's life with ease and accuracy. Whoever this man was, he was doing an excellent job at confounding the best minds in the FBI.

It must have been difficult for Tara to listen to a stranger discuss her personal life, even delving as far to talk about the reason behind her affectionate nickname 'T'. The arrival of her father had only added to her anguish as she tried to explain what had happened to Gabriel. His admittance that her brother had been in town for a while, working as a lobbyist for an online gambling company, only made her feel more conflicted.

Aoife sighed softly as she carefully perched herself on Luke's desk, he and Tara were currently following up a lead regarding Gabriel's roommate and partner. There was a growing uneasiness filling the atmosphere of the BAU, anxious glances being exchanged as they awaited an update from their colleagues. Something just didn't feel right…

Spencer shot her a reassuring smile as she anxiously twirled one of Luke's pens in her hand, attempting to calm her nerves. Aoife nodded in appreciation, thankful for his kindness. However, her brief moment of peace was rudely interrupted as Prentiss rushed into the bullpen.

"Mr Scratch has Tara's brother."

* * *

"We need to assume that Scratch is targeting everyone on this team."

There was a quiet intake of breath as the team tried to collect their thoughts. The revelation that Tara's brother had become Scratch's newest victim was troubling them all. Not only was Gabriel in grave danger, but everyone's loved ones could potentially share the same fate. There were no lines that Peter Lewis wouldn't cross.

The fear was almost contagious. It was the first time that Aoife had experienced the horror of Mr Scratch and she was quickly realising why he proved to be such a formidable foe for the BAU. Obviously, the team had filled her in on how he had tormented the unit. The fact that their former boss had to resign in order to keep his family safe was enough to tell her that Peter Lewis was a serious threat. But, seeing the damage he could inflict first-hand was even worse than she had imagined.

She felt terrible for Tara – not only was her brother being threatened by one of the most dangerous men the unit had ever come across, she had been forced to watch a video of him begging for help as Scratch continued his torture. Aoife knew better than anyone how much it hurt to lose a loved one and she would do anything to ensure that Tara didn't experience that excruciating pain.

"He's evolved. He's taking these victims with multiple personalities and brainwashing them with someone else's memories."

Prentiss' firm voice pulled Aoife from her thoughts. She glanced at her Unit Chief who was stood at the top of the table, carefully observing her team as they tried to figure out Scratch's plans. Tara was currently taking with her father in the hope that he could provide her with more information about Gabriel. Yet, it felt as if the team were a step behind the devious unsub.

"So, he took Tara's brother and did God knows what to get him to spill his life story, and he planted those memories in the guy downstairs?" Luke questioned, running an exasperated hand through his hair as he perched himself on top of the desk next to Aoife.

"The more memories he has, the stronger the identity he can create." Rossi commented quietly, frowning slightly as he examined the evidence board in front of them. In all the older agent's years at the BAU, he had never come up against such a formidable foe as Peter Lewis. The fact that he was now targeting their families only made David feel more apprehensive about the danger facing the team.

"We should cross-reference our list of patients with dissociative identity disorder against missing persons. Scratch might target them next." Prentiss told them, her authoritative tone soothing. "The rest of us need to figure out how to deprogram the unsub safely. He's still our best lead to Scratch and Gabriel."

Spencer nodded in agreement with her words, yet his eyes narrowed in confusion as he returned his focus to the pictures of Gabriel displayed on the evidence board. They were the only clue Scratch had left the team to determine the whereabouts of Tara's brother.

"It's the pictures that are baffling. Scratch left them out specifically to call out attention to them." He murmured softly, his expression curious as he examined the evidence.

"He's a math genius. He likes us to solve his puzzles, which usually tend to lead to bigger traps." JJ suggested, glancing at Spencer as he shook in his head. "But, it's the configuration that's strange." He insisted, pointing at the images. "The pictures are obviously of Gabriel at different ages, but normally one would arrange them in chronological or reverse chronological order. 15, 11 and 32 is a pattern that he wants us to see."

Emily's eyes widened in surprise as she realised the truth.

"Not us. Tara."

* * *

A heavy sigh escaped Aoife as she sank back into the comfortable leather chair. Despite the absence of a giant pile of case files sat on her desk, she found herself more stressed out than ever before. Just witnessing the suffering that Tara was going through was enough to make her heart flutter nervously.

The team were currently investigating into Desmond Holt (Scratch's latest victim who he had forced to pose as Gabriel) whilst Tara and her father tried to work through their family's complicated history in order to determine why Gabriel and Desmond had been chosen. Aoife definitely didn't envy their challenge, digging up the pain of the past with family was never going to be easy. She herself had escaped to her office for a brief moment of respite from the hustling bullpen.

She glanced up in anticipation as the sound of the door opening caught her attention. A small smile flitted across her face as Luke stepped into her office. Clearly, he had noticed her apprehension.

"How are you doing?"

It was only a simple question, yet the fact he cared enough to ask meant a lot to her. With Luke around, Aoife always felt like someone had her back. Given the nature of their work, it was commonplace for FBI agents to support one another, but Luke seemed to go above and beyond. It was clear that their teammates often looked to the former ranger for strength and guidance. They were all grateful for his presence, especially during times like these.

"I'm fine." Aoife told him, silently cursing herself for repeating the word she had become so accustomed to using. "I'm just thinking about Tara." She added, shrugging her shoulders as Luke approached her desk.

He sank down into the chair opposite, seemingly mulling over her words. "We'll find Gabriel." He told her firmly, his brown eyes locking with hers. It was always impossible to refute his calm reassurance – leaving her only to slowly nod in acceptance.

"If it makes you feel any better, JJ and Prentiss got roped into investigating the BDSM angle." Luke told her, biting back a grin at the thought of their Unit Chief being drawn into the potentially mortifying interview.

Aoife laughed softly at his playful comment, grateful for his attempt at cheering her up. It had definitely worked.

"We certainly have interesting jobs." Luke commented, scratching his head thoughtfully as he remembered his own experience investigating the erotic practices. "I once had Garcia researching sex shops. She-"

He couldn't even finish his sentence, chuckling loudly at the bemused expression on Aoife's face. The memory of the disgruntlement of their technical analyst still made him laugh every time he recalled their phone call. It was his way of repaying her 'Newbie' teasing. However, his eyes filled with curiosity as he noticed the slight blush creeping across Aoife's face.

A smug grin curved onto his lips as he leant forward to face her.

"You're looking a little flustered Agent Murphy."

Aoife almost spluttered in surprise at his words. Thankfully, she was spared from having to respond to his cheeky comment by the arrival of Prentiss.

"We have a problem."

* * *

"He's going to kill Gabriel with my father's gun."

A sharp intake of breath seemed to echo around the room as the team absorbed Tara's shocking words.

Following hours of tireless work, they had discovered that Scratch had exploited emotional overlap between Gabriel and Desmond. A hatred for their father figure. It had been unnerving for them all, especially Tara, to discover that Scratch seemed to know all about their darkest secrets.

"I'll coordinate from here with Aoife." Rossi declared, gripping his phone tightly in his hand as he and Aoife accompanied the group towards the elevator.

"GW emergency's on alert and the director wants a report if you catch Scratch dead or alive." She told Prentiss, who patted her gently on her arm before she strode through the metal doors.

"Will do. Let's go to work."

An awkward tension filled the corridor as the team respectfully waited for Tara to say goodbye to her father. The growing uneasiness was evident on the nervous expressions of the team as they shuffled uncomfortably in the elevator.

Aoife glanced up to find Luke's gaze on her as she nodded in response to Prentiss' order. His warm brown eyes seemed concerned as she forced a small smile onto her lips. They would all be okay. That's what she had to believe.

* * *

There was a comfortable silence engulfing Aoife's office as she rested her head in her hands. It had been a truly exhausting at the BAU with the team only just having survived their rescue of Gabriel. The thought of her colleagues being such danger troubled her greatly. As an FBI agent, Aoife was used to experiencing threats. But, Peter Lewis seemed to be the greatest one any of them had ever faced.

The sound of someone clearing their throat pulled her from her thoughts. It was Luke. The rest of team had filtered out earlier, eager to return home to their families. It had become somewhat of a routine for it to be Aoife, Luke and Prentiss working later into the night. Often the former ranger would accompany her to her car as they chatted about their day, missing New York or other light-hearted conversation.

Aoife smiled softly as Luke perched himself on her desk.

"I told you that we'd find him." He murmured quietly, flashing her a knowing smirk as she scoffed playfully.

"So you did." She replied jokingly as she reached down to grab her bag, swinging it across her shoulder. Luke chuckled warmly as he pulled the door open, standing aside to let her through first.

"So, a hail of nails?" She asked him curiously, laughing softly at the look of amusement on Luke's face.

"Just another day at the office really."

* * *

 **I've decided to start on the Season 12 episodes, although Stephen doesn't come into the actual show until 12x08. I decided to leave him out of this chapter (he's spending time with his family) just to make it flow a little more smoothly. This chapter and the episode is important to the story because of Tara/Aoife's bonding and it's the first time Aoife has been introduced to Mr Scratch. More about her family history will be revealed later on as well. Thanks for all your support so far! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


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